Cut off artichoke bottoms. Rinse and dry artichokes. In a small bowl, with a fork, mix the anchovy paste into the olive oil. The mixture will appear broken. This is normal. Season with pepper.

How to eat: Starting at the bottom of the artichoke, pull off one leaf at a time and dip the fleshy bottom part into the dipping sauce. Enjoy eating the bottom of the leaves and discard the rest. Once you have eaten and discarded all the fleshy outer leaves, cut off the remaining inner leaves and scoop out the choke (fuzzy part) with a spoon. You are left with the heart. Cut the heart into chunks or slices and continue to eat the raw artichoke heart with the dipping sauce.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Pat artichokes dry and add to pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until artichokes begin to brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add rice; stir 2 minutes. Add wine; stir until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 11/2 cups warm broth; cook until absorbed, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

(From Bon Appétit, April 2008)

Pickled Artichokes

4 to 6 servings

2 lemons, juiced

5 Lyon artichokes (or large ones)

1⁄4 cup water

2 cups Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (see note)

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 thyme sprigs

1 rosemary sprig

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 bay leaf

Pinch of chili flakes

Strip all the leaves off artichokes and toss in lemon juice to prevent oxidation. Remove stems and fuzzy chokes. Trim hearts of all extraneous parts and cut into 1⁄8-inch-thick slices. Add lemon juice.

Bring water, vinegar, salt, sugar, thyme, rosemary, garlic, bay leaf and chili flakes to a simmer. Drain artichokes from lemon juice. Drop into simmering brine for about 3 minutes. They should still be crisp but not woody. Taste and adjust cooking time if necessary.

Refrigerate artichokes and brine immediately, covered, for 24 hours in a nonreactive vessel. Artichokes can be stored up to two weeks. Before using artichokes, brush off the brine.